The ritual is divided into three categories, the sacrifice of heaven and earth, the temple belongs to the big ritual, only the Son of Heaven is in charge, this is the power of the emperor.

What Wei Qian did in Southern Qin was doing this, which was recognized by heaven and earth, and set up the national pillar of heaven.

As a queen, the highest standard of sacrifice is the first silkworm sacrifice, which belongs to the middle ritual. Worship the Yellow Emperor's wife, the silkworm god ancestor, this is a festival to show the power of the queen.

"The Son of Heaven personally ploughed for the Zongsheng, and then kissed the silkworms for sacrifice." The Son of Heaven cultivates, and the queen reels silk, highlighting the unity of the emperor and queen.

But many times it is difficult for the queen to separate, or there is no queen, so other palace concubines are asked to do it for them. This concubine undoubtedly shows the imperial power, is the representative of the palace, and represents the concubine with high power in the harem.

According to the etiquette system inherited by the Zhou Dynasty, Zhou Tianzi had a queen and three ladies, and his status was noble. Now that it has been passed down from generation to generation, the specifications of the Son of Heaven have also defaulted to the four concubines as a positive category. It is a person who records the genealogy of the jade register.

Wei Qian was cautious after becoming a concubine, and now it is the first time that she is really standing in front of people to exercise her rights.

Of course, nominally, it was to carry out the silkworm sacrifice in place of the queen.

The cane slowly drove out of the Danfeng Gate, and Wei Qian was dressed in a gorgeous costume, sitting on the chariot and watching his luck.

Passing through the Danfeng Gate, this is the prerogative of the emperor and empress. Her luck Danfeng added three points of spirit. Hold your head up, and be high, with the holy decree of the red dragon next to you.

Situ Yun personally ordered Wei Qian to preside over this silkworm sacrifice, and gave her special treatment to walk through the side gate of Danfeng Gate.

As Danfeng walked through the Danfeng Gate, the phoenix wings were unfolded, and the five colors followed, and the huge phoenix bird fell into the suburbs with a group of birds that symbolized the luck of the palace concubine behind him.

At this time, many wives and princesses of various provinces were already waiting on the outskirts of the city.

There is a phoenix, and a hundred birds are towards the phoenix.

Some witches and Taoist priests who were quite Taoist saw the visions of colorful clouds in the air, and their hearts trembled.

"Just looking at the weather, the real phoenix is coming, could it be the queen mother? No, the news in the palace didn't let Concubine De act as an agent? ”

"The queen mother is seriously ill, and the luck god phoenix is far from having such a spirit. And the queen mother is a golden phoenix, not a danfeng. ”

People don't dare to be careless, because the two are of different levels, and the etiquette they have to prepare is also very different.

hurriedly asked people to inquire about the news, and when they saw the red silk sedan chair, their hearts were relieved: it is not the queen's phoenix driver, it is still the specifications of the palace concubine.

The queen is called the guard of honor, and the palace concubine is called the cane, and the regulations are very different. But those who are interested can see that from the number of golden silk dragon finch fans and red luan fragrant wood flower branches, this cane has exceeded the number of concubines.

This was taken out of her own guard of honor by the order of the Queen Mother, and it was specially given to Wei Qian to have a long face.

Mrs. Wei was weak and did not come this time. Jia Mei, as a representative of the Wei Mansion, watched the cane team slowly walk in the crowd.

"The day has finally arrived!" Jia Mei was surprised and delighted, she didn't look down on the queen's background at all. Now that his daughter is presiding over the ceremony, there may be a day when he ascends to the throne. "I heard that the queen is not in good health, I am afraid that her life will not be long, and then Qian'er will ascend to the throne, this is the peace of the emperor and queen."

Jia Mei looked excited, and the old lady of Jiafu and Mrs. Xing were also present. Mrs. Wang is not in the fourth grade because of the rank of the wife, although she is the mother of the imperial concubine, she doesn't even have the opportunity to appear.

Old Madam Jia saw Wei Qian picking a cane, and knelt down with everyone: "Congratulations to Concubine Ningde for a thousand years of sainthood." I wish you all the best of luck. Although he was unwilling, although he looked down on the daughter born to Jia Mei, but now his status is very different, and he has to worship.

Xue Baochai followed Wei Qian's side and attended as a female official. His eyes lingered on the side of Jiafu, and when he saw that he didn't see his mother, he showed disappointment.

"Didn't you already know that? Where is the mother qualified to attend this scene? "One of the worst wives present is a positive fourth grade. Even her aunt was not qualified to attend.

Seeing Xue Baochai's expression, Hongchun said in a low voice: "Don't be distracted, you can ask Niangniang for mercy when you go back, let you go out of the palace to buy a trip, and then you can go back and have a look." ”

Xue Baochai's heart moved, and he hurriedly thanked her.

"No courtesy." Wei Qian asked everyone to get up and slowly got out of the car with the help of Hongchun.

"This palace is in accordance with the holy decree of His Majesty and the grace of the Queen Mother, and presides over the silkworm sacrifice on behalf of the queen's sister." Wei Qian signaled, and Xiangling held the holy decree to read it.

Since the establishment of the Imperial Court, the female official system has prevailed, and the original eunuch system has been suppressed again, cutting off the possibility of eunuchs controlling the government.

After everyone bowed again, let Wei Qian go to change clothes first.

The Silkworm Sacrifice is an extremely troublesome and large-scale ritual. Compared with the Emperor's Houtu Festival, the first silkworm festival takes more time and lasts intermittently for a month, so it is the largest sacrifice presided over by the queen.

The first silkworm sacrifice is divided into three parts, roughly the sacrifice to the silkworm god, then the mulberry is harvested and fed to the silkworms, and finally the silk is reeled a month later. If you count the time when the silkworm king was selected at the beginning, from February to April, the queen needs to be busy for the first silkworm sacrifice.

Before sacrificing to the silkworm god, it is necessary to bathe and fast, and Wei Qian prepares for this for three days.

took off her regular clothes and changed into her dress, Wei Qian worshiped her ancestors on the altar with a solemn face.

The statue of the ancestor shone brightly, and the brilliance was far greater than that of any god she had ever seen. Even the Dou Mu Niang in the Dou Mu Temple and the Nuwa Niang Niang in the Wa Huang Peak are not as good.

"It's not that the god rank is high, but that there are many mortal sacrifices?"

For some reason, Emperor Wa did not enjoy a separate sacrifice, but as a part of Houtu or a part of Taihao.

If you talk about the divine power accumulated in the statue, the statue of Nuwa in Nanqin has been sacrificed for just a few years, which is far inferior to the statue of the ancestor in Chang'an, which has been worshiped for hundreds of years.

However, in terms of the quality of divine power, although the brilliance contained in the statue of the ancestor is vast and bright, it is not as far-reaching and profound as Nuwa Niangniang.

The atmosphere of guardianship and fraternity inherited from the wilderness is not possessed by the statue of the ancestor god.

"In the final analysis, it is nothing more than Confucianism does not recognize the empress. If it weren't for Nuwa Niangniang's great achievements back then, she was recognized as the empress, I am afraid that even her position would have been seized. ”

Even so, in the late Tang Dynasty, it was also proposed that the rooster crowed and disturbed the way of heaven and earth. It is believed that only men can be emperors, and women cannot be emperors.

What, Nuwa used to be an empress? I'm sorry, but it was the ignorance of the people in the barbaric era. Now that the people are civilized, where will the empress appear?

Moreover, for Nuwa, the previous dynasties pursued the principle of avoidance, and if they could not mention it, they would not mention it. Merit can be reduced, and it can be worshiped with others, and it is absolutely not sacrificed alone. Those who can sacrifice to other gods will definitely not sacrifice to Nuwa.

Wei Qian's mind flashed with such a thought, and she secretly said in her heart: "I still don't believe it, my Nanqin sacrifice to Nuwa must be included in the ancestral training, and later descendants must sacrifice Nuwa Niangniang." ”

After all, Nuwa Niangniang is the ancestor of Lishan.

Wei Qian respectfully sacrificed, and another thought rose in her mind.

"Speaking of which, shouldn't we Nanqin also prepare our own sacrificial rank? At least these great gods need to be sacrificed to show our civilization heritage. ”

As soon as the thought moved, suddenly the statue of the ancestor split out a ray of brilliance and fell into Wei Qian's hand. The brilliance turned into a divine seal, and let Wei Qian take it back to worship in Nanqin.

Obviously, the wife of the Yellow Emperor also recognized the status of Nan Qin, and even more recognized Wei Qian, the empress.

Wei Qian was overjoyed and hurriedly offered the coins and sacrifices prepared in advance.

After the ceremony was completed, Wei Qian went to the mulberry forest to pick mulberry leaves.

According to the rules, the queen picks three branches, the princess concubines, the first-grade women, and the princess pick five branches, and the remaining second-grade to fourth-grade women pick nine branches.

Wei Qian came instead of the queen, so she first symbolically picked three branches to symbolize the queen, and then picked three branches instead of the queen mother. followed by the concubine and the concubine, and finally Wei Qian herself.

Wei Qian lamented in her heart: "Although it is to show my right and status, I am more tired than other women!" ”

Lin Lin finally came down, and Wei Qian picked a total of twenty-one branches.

"Sister Imperial Princess, do you want to rest?" A girl in a formal dress laughs and drinks tea next to her.

Wei Qian nodded and sat next to Princess Yihe. This Princess Yihe is the youngest daughter of the Emperor Taishang and the half-sister of Situ Yun. Because he has just come of age, he is still living in the palace and has a good relationship with Situ Yun.

The girl is innocent, and Wei Qian rarely smiles: "Sister is not easy, is it possible that you will be easy?" The concubines are the princesses after picking. Although you are the only adult princess in the palace now, don't forget the two little girls in our family. Look back and have you suffered. ”

Yihe stuck out his tongue and said, yes, when she picks mulberry for a while, she has to replace the two princesses Jingjia and Roujia to carry out the mulberry picking ceremony, which is also not easy.

Wei Qian stood on the mulberry viewing platform to read, and the concubines who were not sick stepped forward to break the branches, and handed over five branches to the silkworm woman to kneel to welcome.

Mrs. Jia and Mrs. Xing looked at the dignified Wei Qian, with different thoughts.

Mrs. Xing didn't think about it so much, anyway, Concubine Ning couldn't forget her share during the New Year's holidays, and often sent gold and silver jewelry. Although she is helping Jia Yu, Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng, she is also willing to support this mother.

"After the eldest sister entered the palace, she thought about helping the second room every day and giving her mother a prestige, if it weren't for Concubine Ning to help me and Feng Yatou support me every day, wouldn't she have to be forced by the second family?"

Jia's mother had another thought, and complained to Jia Yuanchun in her heart: Now that the queen is seriously ill, what a good opportunity to compete for favor? I heard that the concubine Niangniang is also sick. At this time, as a concubine, you didn't run out to preside over the silkworm sacrifice in person, and let this girl seize the opportunity.

For outsiders in the palace, how to see the palace concubine being favored? Even if you get another reward in the palace, outsiders won't see it, right? Even if you win the internal battle, where will the outsiders know?

The real manifestation of status to the outside world is in the sacrifices and celebrations.

Who is closer to the emperor and who personally presides over the sacrifice, these piles show the status of the concubines.

Now that Wei Qian is presiding over the silkworm sacrifice, others are not sick to the palace concubine, so they naturally think that Wei Qian has a high status in front of the queen mother and the emperor.

Moreover, in order to cooperate with Wei Qian's silkworm sacrifice, Situ Yun also carried out farming in the suburbs.

Men plough and women weave, this is a true portrayal of ancient life. How important is food and clothing to the people?

The emperor personally cultivated the crops and prayed for a good year of good weather and abundant crops. The queen sacrificed silkworm reeling silk, as an example of weaving cloth and making clothes, advocating harmony between husband and wife, and peace in the world.

Jia Mu was dissatisfied in her heart, but she was silent on her face. After Princess Yihe picked mulberry, she and Mrs. Xing went to the mulberry forest to pick mulberry together. Then hand it over to the mulberry woman next to her and send it to Wei Qian.

Wei Qian looked around, with a look of displeasure. found Xue Baochai and instructed in a low voice: "You go to the Duchess of Liguo and let them pay attention." ”

The Duchess and the old lady rested under the tree, and did not do it themselves.

Wei Qian saw it at a glance and knew that these people didn't care about their status as imperial concubines. took a ruyi and handed it to Xue Baochai: "Seeing Ruyi is like seeing the emperor, you take it and reprimand them, let them pick it quickly, and feed the silkworm king." If you are unwell, the maid next to you will replace her, and turn around and let the father and son of Liguo take the maid through the door as a concubine, which can be regarded as their Liguo Mansion. ”

"Yes." Xue Baochai went to pass the word, and when the two women heard it, they hurriedly rushed to work.

The two of them had been instructed earlier to take the opportunity to make trouble for Wei Qian. But Wei Qian made it clear that if the two of them used the excuse of being unwell, they would directly let the maid next to them do it for them. When I turned around and entered their house, it was still counted as the two of them. It's the same as Wei Qian helping the queen pick mulberry.

The two didn't dare to slack off, and obediently picked mulberries. The princesses and wives are in their eyes. understands that this Concubine Ning does not rub sand in her eyes, and the old lady of the four kings has been instructed by the Queen Mother, and cheers next to her, and finally has done this without danger.

Wei Qian looked at the mulberry leaves collected by the woman with satisfaction, and ordered: "Come here, set up a banquet." ”

set up a banquet to entertain all the women, behaved generously and elegantly, and everyone nodded secretly: compared with last year's queen mother, it is indeed a little more extravagant.

After that, Wei Qian personally fed the mulberry leaves he picked to the silkworm king, and these silkworm kings were personally selected by Wei Qian, and there was no mistake. After looking at it, Wei Qian said to Hongchun Dao and Xue Baochai: "You can rest assured that the palace will do things, in order to ensure that there will be no mistakes in the future, the two of you will take turns guarding during this time, and you don't need to go back to the palace first." ”

Cheered up 120,000 points, for fear that someone would stumble on him, and after doing this, Wei Qian led everyone back to the palace. During this period, there was no chance to catch up with Jia Mei at all.

When he returned to the palace, it happened that Situ Yun also returned.

Wei Qian sacrificed silkworms, Situ Yun personally cultivated and sacrificed to the ancestors, the two were mentally exhausted, and after coming back, Situ Yun came directly to the Qingbian Palace to rest.

"I've hurt you this time." Situ Yun sighed: "My pro-farming and persuasion of farming will be finished in one day, but your side will last for a whole month." ”

Wei Qian lay on the bed and said angrily: "What else do you say! Otherwise, why would the sisters give this job to the concubine? The concubine has already let Hongchun and Baochai stay in the silkworm house, if there is any further problem, it is that someone has framed her, and at that time, please ask Your Majesty to be the master. ”

"It's nature." Situ Yun yawned and fell asleep. Wei Qian rested and fell asleep shallowly, but she was not at ease in her heart, so she secretly asked Xiangling to ask Linglan to help take care of the silkworm king and ensure that the silkworm babies were cocooned.